Exchanged growls
by Justobuy
Summary: In a world where earth and dimension of monsters called 'the netherrealm' coexist through hidden portals, two ex phantom investigators have their past catching up back to them after their marriage. A one-shot story about the importance of friendship, forgiveness and hope. Actually a prequel to 'promises and afterlife' . Contains big spoilers from original release.


_Finally, after years of awkwardness and holding back, an important day finally came for two lovers. Without them realizing it, not only it was the day their love was finally sealed, but it was also to fix something that was all broken, something as important as love seemed to be for them._

_Even when they think they're now alone or they imagine they don't fit in this crazy world, somewhere, somehow, there's still people, caring about them._

* * *

Things were about to start for the two lovers well dressed after they concluded an entwined kiss, embellished by balloons, claps, bells and joyful shouting. Never have they been more happy than that very instant they were finally married, after knowing each other since their teenage year, dating and being in couple for 5 years.

After looking at all the family and friends who came at their wedding, the bride threw her flower bouquet at the audience. Her new husband looked at her, with a smile and moved towards her. He was going to lift her with his two bare hands, but his new wife, quicker than him, just jumped on his back and glomped him, giggling.

_''I want to see you piggyback me all the way out of this church like this, strong man!''_ the bride taunted, poking his average muscles.

_''Don't underestimate me, my lovesprite.''_ the groom teased while trying to run in the hall.

Some laughs on this scene were heard. While the groom, struggling a little but still in shape, moved towards the church's exit, the bride waved happily at all her friends and family who came, her legs were wrapped around her lover's body to avoid falling.

Their walk pursued outside of the church, going down the stairs in the same position. The bride finally went on the ground and waved with her soulmate at everyone, before going into a rented limousine. Once they've gone into the back seat and the car went away, they looked at each other.

_''You didn't even used your teleporation powers, impressive!''_ the bride soothed.

So much has changed in them comparing to what they were used to see. The new bride looked at his pale brown tuxedo with a black bow tie, and how his face shaped up.

_''You really had to grow this mustache Harold, don't you?''_ she smirked. _''I'll leave the gel you put on your hair though.''_

With a tee-hee, a hand on his brown hair combed with gel on the left side, Harold also adjusted his glasses he didn't took the time to replace, they were about to fall. He looked at the love of his life's white wedding dress, she made her hair dyed in a cherry shade and opted for the waterfall braid hairstyle. She was pretty to him before, but now, she was resplendent.

_''Am I looking at Mary right now?''_ he sarcastically interrogated, only to be answered with a punch on the shoulder. _''OW! I meant in the beautiful way! ...Your shot was fast.''_ he quietly grumbled, hand on his shoulder.

_''Hey, you married this girl, here she is now!''_ Mary pointed at herself with her two hands, casually laying on the seat.

Hal and Mary shared a laugh together, leaning a little forward towards the empty space in front of them.

_''The wedding went as planned, our family was happy for us, I'm now married to my precious jewel and I'm ready to start an home life, so why... I'm still feeling... empty?''_ Hal revealed, with a neutral tone.

Lifting an eyebrow and expressing some regrets and sadness, Mary looked at him.

_''You too huh? ...I can't believe...we haven't saw him since 4 years and he didn't even came at our wedding...''_ she sadly complained. _''Can an important friend we helped and rescued be this spiteful on a quarrel?''_

_''We both know it's not easy for him, don't be so hard.''_ the 25 year old groom rationalized.

_''Still...I hope he didn't forgot about us.''_

_''Say...''_ the husband slipped the subject to make her wife feel better. _''...Are you excited for our honeymoon place?''_

_''Yes...at least this will be a paradise!''_

For the rest of the car trip, the two ex-bachelors talked about all and nothing, no matter the past, moving forward seemed to be the priority, the friend they talked about didn't really seem to care about them, so why bothering?

As they talked for minutes and hours, they noticed by the limo's window that it was getting dark, and the path seemed to be long, Harold started to worry.

_''We're supposed to be at the airport, what's going on?''_

_''Maybe ask the driver of this limo! We didn't even saw him and he's silent since we entered.''_ Mary suggested.

_''Good idea, I'll be right back.''_

Harold closed his eyes and squeezed his hand palms together, since a long time, he was going to use his hidden powers he had since his childhood. In a split second, he teleported out of his seat and appeared in the passenger's seat, side to the limo's driver. The driving section and the backseat were separated by a wall and a small window, so Mary could not see what was happening. Hal gently tapped the driver's shoulder.

_''Uh, excuse me? Are you sure you're going in the right direction? This isn't what we have plann-''_

The adult got interrupted by the transport suddenly braking, he forgot to take a seatbelt so he was a little shaken off by a slight push forward and his glasses fell off. All was completely stopped. While the new groom, grumbling, looked for his glasses, the conductor slowly turned his head towards him. ...He had a few dirt spots on his face and his mouth was wide open letting a small growl out, only the passenger didn't realized the weirdness that was coming yet.

_**''13...13...corpseview...road...destination...reached...''** _the conductor slowly moaned in a hoarsy and low voice.

When the interrogator finally put his glasses back, he saw the disguised sitting zombie right side to him. The silence was really awkward in the car, Harold slowly opened his mouth expressing some confusion and surprise before catching the zombie by the head and crushed him with a big shot on the honk.

While the paranormal creature received the airbag as a shock, Harold quickly got out of the deluxe car and opened the back door of the limo, Mary was still there and looked at her husband full of worry, getting her seatbelt off and getting out too.

_''What is happening?''_

_''This isn't our private driver, it's the undead!''_ He pointed at the zombie getting out of the passenger's door, he forgot to close the door in the heat of the moment.

Mary looked at the zombie and got some flashbacks under Harold's words, she started to recite a rule she seemed to contain in her head a long time ago, judging by her breathing and incomprehension under the current situation.

_''...Specters...second... lowest chart of the netherrealm...No, why now? We...put everything in the closet!''_

_''I don't know what he's got against us on that very day but we got to hide, quick!''_

Without even thinking about the destination they were going to pick, the ex-bachelors picked their hand together and Harold used his teleportations powers, since Mary hold his hand, she was teleported as well. The two ended in the destination that was left to the limo, a large graveyard, with several trees, tombstones and a mausoleum. Harold, under a small panic, looked at all directions, while Mary just slowly turned her head, with a thoughtful face.

_''This is suspiscious, why a zombie we don't know stopped his car next to a graveyard? ...It's like...he wanted us to be here.''_

_''Because he wants us MORE than hurt, quick, we have to prepare our assault.''_

The couple looked at the graveyard's entrance and backed up, waiting for the zombie to come in, what they didn't noticed behind them is that, in a coffin, two hands, arms covered by a grey cloak, rose up in the sky. A big growl and some husky screams were heard, as Mary and Harold turned their head and saw the cloaked person get out of the coffin and raising his two arms sideways, like a t-pose.

**_''Mwhahahaha, I've been asleep for two hundred years!''_ **the unknown mystery man revealed, slowly walking to them. _**''I am the mortal-eater, and you two will be my first sustenance!''**_

Harold and Mary backed up, face to it, the husband was prepared to attack, but the wife hesitated, she looked at the creature and closed her eyes.

_''Hold on, something's not-''_ she got interrupted by Harold's scream as he charged right through the enemy. _''Lovesprite, wait!''_

We could not see any emotion behind the opponent's cloak, all he did was answering to Harold's charge by avoiding his push, making a few quick steps on the left, and glomped him, with one arm around his upper chest close to his neck and the other one around his body. Hal struggled to get out, while doing so, he noticed there wasn't any lack of air on his neck. Even if he was glomped in a way so he couldn't get out, the creature wasn't trying to strangle him.

_**''Now now, no need to hurry, mortals taste more good when they're tasted slooooooooowly!''**_

Mary looked at the fight and walked towards it. Though she saw her husband in danger, she didn't seem to panic, something was on her mind, as yellow psychic waves were coming out of her head.

But before she could react and use fully her hidden powers, Harold teleported away along with the cloaked creature and the two ended balancing on a tall tombstone, the protagonist's two feets were on there, the enemy glomped on his shoulders to not fall, kind of like Mary was glomping him earlier. However, this action was calculated to the groom. With now something on his shoulders, he jumped a few centimeters behind him and leaned himself on the back as they both fell on the ground.

The mortal-eater took the ground's shock under Hal's move, while the latter ended up rolling on the right. The two panted, the husband was on his knees, head looking at the ground, taking a few breaths, while the mortal-eater took some time to get up, but he didn't seem to be severely injured as he started to move more normally after he was standing up.

_**''Clever move human, really, but you should really have studied me before jumping in the action.''**_ it said.

_''...Wh...you said it yourself what you are.''_ Harold huffed. ''What is this all about?''

An answer wasn't given straight away, the moustached adult rose his head up and saw yellow waves coming out of the mortal eater's head, it didn't move at all, like it was in transe.

Recognizing right away where it came from since he knew her since almost a decade, Harold turned his head to Mary, who had her two longest fingers from each on her hands pressed on her temples and was walking towards the duo. Yellow waves were coming out of her head too, as she looked firmly at the mortal-eater.

_''Stay still Harold...''_

_''Be careful, he's dangerous! I know you're a telepathic, but-''_

_''Didn't you recognize the tone behind this fake-monster voice? Give me a few seconds and you'll see why I didn't fought yet!''_

Mary got closer to the mortal-eater, still gazing seriously at it and with her powers still in use.

_''Drop the act, Felix Navarro!''_ she ordered, stopping her psychic powers!

_''WHAT?''_ Harold screamed.

The supposed ''mortal-eater'' took off his complete disguise to reveal an human! He wore a black tuxedo, his face was slightly square, and his hair was quiffed, dark blue with some stain of lavender and short sideburns. When he started talking, his voice was different, he was trying to hide it when he stage-played a creature, but he had a Latino accent.

_''Eeeeeeh, Hola, how was my act for old times's sake?''_

_''Na...Navarro? It's really you?''_ Harold asked.

_''Good old Harold rushing in the action to protect what you love! You thought I was the undead? You know it won't happen!''_ Navarro smirked.

Harold walked fast towards Navarro the two gripped each other's one hand as a salute sign. Mary chuckled and greeted Navarro with a hug next.

_''It's been such a long time, four years! For that, we really thought you were an undead now!''_ Mary said. _''But wait...you waited for us here and you didn't came to our wedding?''_

Navarro scratched his head with a face expressing some regrets.

_''...Perdón, I know this was probably really important for you, after all we've been through together, but it wasn't possible...not everyone is like you two, they don't take monsters like me very likely!''_

_''You're not a monster, you just have a curse and you're still the same old Navarro we know and love! All of this is Willard's fault!''_ Harold avouched.

Navarro pulled the shirt of his tuxedo a little and showed something he wore around his neck, a totem.

_''It's because of what you made that I still talk to you in that very instant! No matter what caused it, the fact is here!''_ Navarro said, his voice was lightly breaking.

Even after all these years, something bad was held up in Navarro's mind! There was a silence, only Mary broke it by questionning him, with yellow waves coming out of her head, she grabbed gently Navarro's head and rode his mind, she also used her powers on Harold's mind so he could also witness. Voices that sounded exactly like Navarro, Mary and Harold echoed in their brains, the voices seemed to date for years ago, as they seemed full of anger and sadness compared to today.

* * *

**''Felix, we have an important announcment''**

-...-

_''...You're dropping WHAT?''_

-...-

_**''We're sorry, we don't live in an easy family, they're nice, but they have future plans for us, if Harold's parents and mine learn about what we do...''**_

-...-

_''And you're abandoning the curse research? You two prefer to be selfish and LISTEN TO YOUR STUPID PARENTS THAN ACTUALLY HELP WHAT REALLY MATTERS?''_

**_''Please, don't shou-''_**

_''NO ME TOQUES!''_

-...-

_''Lo...Lo siento for shouting...I think it's best for me to just...go away and never come back.''_

**''No, please...we're all in this together, don't face your problems alone.''**

_''It isn't you and Mary who're cursed...''_

* * *

The voices stopped as soon as Mary let her hands off Navarro's head and stopped any psychic communication between her and her friends, Navarro bowed the head while Mary talked.

_''I can feel grief and regrets in each of our minds. ...Navarro...we're sorry, we shouldn't have let you down when you needed it the most, we should've realis-''_

_''Please don't!''_ the cursed man rose his head. _''I haven't brought you here only to argue again, so listen: Yes, I was really scared, sad and stressful but all of this argue was under denial that all these years of searching a cure to my curse was for nothing. Whatever I was feeling, I shouldn't have shouted at you two who have done everything you can. I shouldn't have insulted your family who had nothing to do with my curse and I shouldn't have pushed you!''_

_''You didn't physically hurt any of us when that happened, you just moved our arm away!''_ Harold added.

_''You're kind to try to rationalize Hal, but **I. shouldn't. have. done. that!** Even the smallest body language can give great pain to someone.''_ Navarro justified, while looking at the collar totem around his neck. ''Besides...having a totem who allows me to control myself and stay human is better than not recognizing my friends.

The married couple smiled at their best friend, they went close to him and the three shared a hug together, both the couple's heads on Navarro's shoulders. After closing his eyes for some time, Felix looked behind his friend's head with a sneaky smile. He broke the hug and looked at them.

_''Now, I really want to say more, but for now! I think you two might want to see what I prepared!''_ the half-vampire declared while turning them in the same direction as him.

What was happening was the big surprise of Hal and Mary's life. A big buffet was hanging far away from them. While they were talking, some alive gargoyles statues, ghosts and zombies of dead people coming from the tombstones installed decorations. There was even a ghost of a person they were knowing since their time at Lugosi Jr High school: Mustapha the janitor, he was in front of the buffet, holding his own decapited head and bringing it in sandwiches so his head could eat it.

A big red carpet was unrolled on the grass, with orange blossoms planted on each side of it, making it like a long hallway.

_''This is...beautiful!''_ Mary complimented.

_''The food's banquet is paranormal-themed, like the cake in green slime flavor or the wine embelisshed with eyes! I even made some halloween costumes for you as the bride and groom!''_ Navarro explained.

_''But wait!''_ Harold turned around. _''The zombie that was in the limo, you don't mean...''_

_''Sí sí, replacing your private driver for your honeymoon was my idea too.''_ the godfather smiled. _''...A ghost-themed wedding for old time's sake, I know you all loved solving ghostly cases and reading horror books as much as I am. I mean, you both have powers yourselves, unlike me...''_

Harold gently headlocked Navarro as a sign of affection, slowly rubbing his fist against his best friend's well-combed hair. The two laughed together.

_''You're such an unreal padrino you know that?''_ Harold toothly smiled.

_''Yes, it's so incredible what you did for us.''_ Mary approved. _''But there's one problem: the vows have been made, we're already husband and wife...''_

Harold let Navarro out of his grip and took his wife's hand.

_''Well, this isn't a problem, for our best friend, we could do it again, I would marry you one hundred times if necessary! Plus take the buffet as a gift, since our previous wedding didn't have one!''_

_''See? Told you everything was planned! For the moment, let's take care of your costumes.''_ Navarro went away.

* * *

Everything in the banquet was delicious, even though they seemed disgusting by appearance, the actual flavors were familiar. Both the three humans and the kind monsters who were invited were having way too much fun at the banquet.

* * *

_''You want a sandwich junk food demon saliva-filled and you don't want to get out of the bed? Muy bien!''_

Navarro took this weird sandwich from the banquet and offered it at a bed, some big blue furry hands went out of it to take the food and thanked him with a thumb up.

* * *

Some netherrealm creatures were throwing the green frost of the slime cake at each others, they even tried to aim for Hal, Mary and Navarro, but they stayed a little aside, they needed to be clean, even if the married ones wore their special costume.

For this special occasion, Mary had her face altered. With the power of Halloween makeup, she had a small quantity of pustules on her face, messy makeup on her eyelashes and a fake pointy nose. Her dress remained the same but she wore a black witch hat with a purple belt stripe and let her hair down, unbraided. She also had a broom.

Harold went through a similar treatment: he wore a small brown fur coat under his groom suit, covering his arms and part of the back of his hands; his ears were more pointy; his nose was covered with an a werewolf snout and he equiped his mouth with pointy dental prosthesis.

Lot of time has passed, lots of fun between friends were made, but now, was the time to remade the vows. The married persons, holding each other's hand, walked on the red carpet surrounded with orange blossoms. Navarro was waiting for them at the very end, holding a lazo, he was the only person to be dressed normally. Once they were very close to him and faced each other, the padrino tied the lazo around his friend's shoulders, shaping it like an 8.

_''It's so perfect...''_ Harold whispered.

Navarro coughed, seeing that some special invites still messed the banquet up, he stepped his foot on the ground to catch the rest's attention, it took some time, but everyone was looking at them.

_''Ah-hem, due to special circumstances, this wedding isn't actually one, the bride and groom you see here already had their vows exchanged, however, for their best friend, they agreed to go by my standards, even after I haven't spoke to them in four years.''_ Navarro debuted.

Hal and Mary looked at their friend, they knew what he was going to say, and for the sake of making amends and fix the broken parts, they let him speak.

_''If you wonder why I'm not dressed with an Halloween costume right now, well it's normal, I hid myself for so many years and it's time I come clean: since the 50s, I got a curse from an ex-friend, I was a monster like you all, a monstruous rampaging vampire! And these two you see here? They were my best friends left, and before that curse, we all worked as a group called Phantom investigators, some of you probably know us since we...eh-heh, kept you from getting wild in our world.''_

Some monsters laughed with the married persons, most of the invites were harmless monsters so they were no danger.

Even if some were getting wild, some spirits counselors were there to train them.

_''Our friendship meant so much that they risked everything and gave themselves headaches to build a totem of spirit control for me, to control my curse. And it works, I'm now half-human half-vampire, I don't need a costume and I don't age!''_

The couple smiled, relieved to finally know what Navarro thought of them even after their past dispute. The godfather pursued his monologue.

_''But it was not enough for me, not aging meant that at some point, my best friends would pass away and I would probably never see them again. I needed a cure, the very idea of losing my friends made me sad, impatient, irritable. And after years of finding nothing, and after they decided to drop the PIs due to family struggle...I had no excuse, I yelled and I shunned them down.''_

His voice cracked a little, but he wasn't showing any agressivity, he just spoke by his heart, straight to the point, and normally. He made some steps around his friends.

_''So...I ran away, I even let my parents down, I didn't even want to see anyone again, I didn't wanted get attached... Who wants to give amor, marry and have children with an half-vampire who doesn't age? Luckily, I wasn't in danger when it came to evil paranormal activity, I have knowledge and kept some gadgets of my invention.''_

_''Can we continue to storm the buffet now?''_ A junk food demon asked, already eating cake.

_''Hey!''_ an alive koala plush said, throwing a carrot in his mouth, he exploded and left purple slime everywhere. _''Have some respect for the padrino.''_

The three amigos cringed at the mess, face expressing a little disgust, nevertheless, Navarro pursued his talk.

_''It's when I've heard that my best friends were getting married, and after 4 years living in the wild, that I realized it: was it worth to panic all my life on something that didn't even happened yet? Life is full of surprises, but we all have the eternity beyond us and master of our own choices, none of us is 70 yet.''_

_''Pfft, I plan to keep my body until 90 years old.''_ Harold playfully jested, looking at Navarro.

Navarro and Mary chuckled.

_''Following these thoughts, the day came where I had to make a choice: keep shoving everyone apart and being uselessly sad for all eternity, or being the cursed man who just assumes himself and makes everything to make his friends and relatives happy while they're still alive. ...But before I make amends with my parents. ...My friends...''_

At that very moment, the godfather put his arms around the couple, bringing them close to him.

_''My cure can wait: I don't want you to spend the rest of your life being desperate for me while you'll probably have childs to take care of later. You risked so much to make my life better, so I'm returning the favor. I'll do everything in my power to make you relax and laugh in moments of sadness, and make sure that you two have a good life... Harold, Mary, I'm deeply sorry for all the trouble I've once caused you, do you accept my friendship until afterlife do us part?''_

During all that last rant, Mary had tears in her eyes, Harold was also on the verge of crying, rubbing his eyes with his index.

_''Are you sure you don't want to get in el lazo and get married with us? There's still place!''_ Harold joked.

_''Muy divertido!''_ Navarro sarcastically answered, even though he laughed.

_''Felix, you were always our best friend, even after that dispute! Of course we accept, and we, Mary and Harold, will never change our minds!'' Mary declared, smiling._

_''So can we go home now?''_ A random monster voice shouted.

The ex-Phantom Investigators ignored the comment, still looking at each other. Felix broke the awkwardness.

_''I guess we better get to the actual wedding again if you want. Harold Prune, do you-''_

_''Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!''_ Harold looked at Mary.

_''Mar-''_

_''Always!'' _she gazed back at her husband.

_''So I guess you can kiss the bride again if you want.''_

* * *

**At the moment the already married couple were about to kiss again, to please Navarro's wedding-like organisation, loud growls and instruments sounds were getting heard in the place. The couple immediately backed up looking for a potential monster ruining the wedding, but it was just, somewhere in the audience, a group of monsters trying to sing with their growls. Two skeletons also poked and at each's other ribs, making marimba-like sounds trying to fit the growl accapella.**

**Combined together, this tried to sound like the familiar song of wedding people hears when the bride arrives. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than nothing. The ex-PIs looked at the sounding mess and laughed together, amused and lightly annoyed at the same time. ...But they were not angry...**

**...because the wedding wasn't ruined, as it already happened.**

**But even so, there's always time to fix everything...even friendships that weren't mean to be such broken under such circumstances, and that's what the padrino understood, at that very instant. Even when he thought he was alone or didn't fit in this world, his friends were still there for him.**

**Everyone can be devastated at something, obstacles occurs, everything can change and some friendships might fall apart in the process...**

**...But when mistakes are admitted, and that apologies are really sincere, second chances exists.**

**It can be deep love, friendship, knowledges or all this mixed up, everyone deserves to be loved...and these types of healthy relations are the perfect mix...as there's someone always out there, to help you get back up when you fall.**

* * *

_**-the end-**_


End file.
